Issue 14 – Fall 2015

Romance scored an undeniable victory over reality as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Damodardas Modi left Bangladesh on June 7 with his mission amply fulfilled so far as India was concerned. However, on the other hand, the captivating siren notes of engaging friendship and high hopes threatened to subside into whimpering hopelessness for Bangladesh in the

Assam—one of the northeastern states of India, is a vibrant terrain but this terrain has hardly been studied in detail in the light of its boundaries as drawn by the British colonialists. The consistent tensions within the state, as also in the other states in the northeastern region, requires the need to contextualize the discord

Freedom of Information was recognized as a fundamental right by the United Nations at its very inception. In 1946, the UN General Assembly resolved: “Freedom of Information is a fundamental human right and the touchstone for all freedoms to which the United Nations is consecrated.” Enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the right’s

The subject of Baluch nationalism is a matter of major contention. Calls for Baluch independence far preceded the demands for a Pakistani state, yet they still remain unanswered. When examining the issue, often the very concept of “nationalism” is severely distorted and misunderstood. For instance, movements for independence are not always nationalist struggles. However, as

The long-enduring India-Pakistan rivalry is one of most fiercely debated rivalries in the international system. Since 1947 it has witnessed three major and one limited war (Kargil), periodic military skirmishes along the border (both agreed and working), indefatigable acrimony over alleged interference in mutual affairs — cross border terrorism (as India alleges) and support to

An examination of the historical and political circumstances that led to the proclamation of Bangladesh’s independence from Pakistan The declaration of Bangladesh’s independence remains controversial, partly because documentation is inconclusive. An earlier official proclamation came to light after a later one; while the later one is more firmly documented, the less firmly documented one is

If you visit the Gurudwara at Guru Nanak Nagar in Vijayawada on a weekend you’ll be greeted by a host of young Dakhani Sikh boys in orange head gears running around and playing cricket in the courtyard. These boys hail from poor families of Dakhani Sikhs in the villages of Warangal district in Andhra Pradesh

The history of local government in Bangladesh is extensive, yet it is still struggling for the right structure to work on. Effective local government can deal with local problems with less effort, less expense and less time. But in Bangladesh there is a huge harmonization gap among the different local and government actors. This study